Meet Brock Ostrander: Executive Director, Ostrander Scholar Society

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brock Ostrander and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brock, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
Self Control – this quality sets the foundation for all success in life. In order to make reasoned decisions and lead others, you must maintain self control. Our society is littered with many examples of how someone “flew off the handle” and the outcome was more negative than positive. I always work vigilantly to maintain strong self control no matter what situation may come my way. This quote from Zig Ziglar illustrates why self control is so paramount: “It’s not what happens to you that determines how far you will go in life; it’s how you handle what happens to you.”

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
The Ostrander Scholar Society was founded in 1997. Originally a family led project, the effort grew over time. Ten years after the founding, we filed documents to become a non profit organization. Our focus is on higher education and we give out college scholarships. What we are very proud of is 100% of donations go directly to the scholarship fund. Organizational expenses are paid by the Board of Directors. The scholarship programs were originally restricted to residents of certain states but we decided to go nationwide with our programs in 2012. Anyone in the country who meets the qualifications is eligible to apply. The original scholarship is for Eagle Scouts who are active in Order of the Arrow, Scouting’s National Honor Society. Our other scholarship is for students who stand out in their community as impactful volunteers. Applicants have to meet certain thresholds of volunteer hours to qualify. We are hopeful to add a third scholarship as funding becomes available. That particular scholarship would help students looking into animal service careers such as vet tech, veterinarian, vet assistant, etc.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The metropolitan area where our HQ is located offers a myriad of choices for fun! If you’re into sports, we have the Texas Rangers, Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Stars. We also have minor league type teams like the Cleburne Railroaders and Frisco Roughriders (baseball), and the Lone Star Brahmas (hockey). There are many venues throughout the area that host comedians, rock bands and such. Hyena’s Comedy Nightclub in downtown Fort Worth would be a great spot if you’re looking for a great laugh. They recently hosted Pauly Shore. We also have Axe Throwing sites, world class bowling alleys, TopGolf and places like The Flying Saucer (if you enjoy an interesting bar experience).

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My parents, wife and lifelong friends get most of the credit for where I am today. I’ve also been shaped and influenced by Freemasonry, the Order of the Arrow and the Sigma Chi Fraternity.

Website: ostranderscholars.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OstranderScholarSociety

Image Credits
Brock C Ostrander